Scuttled glory
Faux machine gun on P29
Besides those wrecks that found their way into the clutches of the sea due to the devastating effects of war , Malta prides itself on a range of wrecks that were scuttled for a variety of reasons . The principal idea is for these wrecks to serve as underwater attractions , the attendant publicity acting as an incentive for visiting divers .
Bow of the tugboat Rozi
An equally important reason is that wrecks become artificial reefs and help marine life to flourish on the otherwise barren sandy seabed .
However , in the case of HMS Stubborn – a submarine lying at a depth of 57m – the reason for scuttling was that the Royal Navy required a sonar training target . Once Malta gained its independence though ( in 1964 ), this wreck became one of the top
technical dive sites . Another oddity , the P2V Neptune airplane wreck was scuttled for use in a movie in the 1950s .
Since most of Malta ’ s scuttled wrecks are within recreational limits , they are by far its most popular dive sites . Scores of divers each day visit the oil tanker Um El Faroud , the patrol boat P29 , and the tugboat Rozi . All three wrecks lie at around 35m , and can be dived from the shore . At 110 metres
Conning tower of HMS Stubborn
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